Pansy Ho, the chairwoman and executive director of MGM China, has articulated a vision for Macau that extends beyond its traditional reliance on mainland Chinese tourists.
Speaking to reportersa recent press conference, Ho underscored the importance of attracting a broader international audience to fulfill Beijing’s aspirations for Macau to evolve into a vibrant global city, the South China Morning Post reported.
Ho referred to comments made by Xia Baolong, the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, who called for Macau to enhance its international profile and to “polish its golden business card.”
This call to action came during Xia’s inspection visit in May, where he encouraged Macau to embrace its potential as a cosmopolitan center.
Ho highlighted that while Macau has seen a significant influx of visitors—25.92 million in the first nine months of the year—most of these arrivals were from mainland China and Hong Kong.
Specifically, only 1.68 million, or about 6.48 percent, were international tourists, although this figure represents a remarkable 95.1 percent increase compared to the same period the previous year.
Emphasizing the need for change, Ho stated, “It is not that we don’t welcome mainland tourists, but the proportion should be adjusted to fulfill the call.” She believes that diversifying the tourist base is crucial for Macau’s long-term growth and sustainability as a premier global destination.
Wynn Resorts Macau recently hosted the “Wynn Management Skills Program” graduation ceremony at MPU, celebrating 45 exceptional trainees who were awarded certificates.
The “Wynn Management Skills Program” is a training program launched by Wynn Resorts Macau in collaboration with the Macao Polytechnic University (MPU), provides a two-year professional training program for Wynn management staff in different fields and cultivates outstanding management talent with all-round interdisciplinary strategic thinking and global visions.
Talent development is an important cornerstone for propelling moderate economic and industrial diversification. In tandem with the SAR Government’s policy, Wynn has been actively providing diverse training programs for its team members in the hope of fostering more outstanding local talent and creating more upward mobility and horizontal development opportunities for them.
Prof. Im Sio Kei, Rector of the Macao Polytechnic University (MPU)
MPU Rector, Prof. Im Sio Kei, remarked in his speech that “MPU shares the same philosophy as Wynn in fostering interdisciplinary versatile management talent to contribute toward the adequate economic diversification of Macao. The “Wynn Management Skills Program” that they co-run with Wynn aims to nurture outstanding management talent with all-round interdisciplinary strategic thinking and global visions. MPU is very pleased to have established this long-term cooperation with Wynn to jointly foster a sustainable pool of high-quality integrated tourism and leisure professionals for Macao.”
Ms. Linda Chen, President and Vice Chairman of the Board of Wynn Macau
Ms. Linda Chen, President and Vice Chairman of the Board of Wynn Macau Limited, expressed in her speech that “Wynn is truly honored to partner with MPU to run a series of professional courses. These courses allow the trainees to gain sharper business insight and broad visions of the market, which can deepen their understanding of innovative technology and the ever-changing business environment and are very important for their career development.”
Guests attending the Wynn Management Skills Program graduation ceremony also included:
Mr. Frederic Luvisutto, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of Wynn Macau Limited;
Mr. Craig Fullalove, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer of Wynn Macau Limited;
Dr. Barry Ip, Vice President of Learning and Advancement of Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace;
Ms. Stephanie So, Vice President of Human Resources of Wynn Macau;
Director Prof. Wang Changbin and Deputy Director Mr. Siu Yu Ning of the Centre for Gaming and Tourism Studies of MPU, among others.
The “Wynn Management Skills Program” co-run by Wynn and MPU is a training program for Wynn management staff. The two-year program is a benchmark for cross-disciplinary study as it covers regional and national industrial development, trends of digital finance, current application of high technology in tourism and entertainment scenarios, and integrated resort management models featuring interdisciplinary collaboration. Through different forms of lectures, seminars, group work, and exchanges, the program aims to nurture management staff with high potential and guide them to reconsider their future career path and development.
Through different forms of lectures, seminars, group work, and exchanges, the program aims to nurture management staff with high potential and guide them to reconsider their future career path and development. The “Wynn Management Skills Program” has also received full support from Wynn’s senior executives, who attended several sharing sessions with the trainees about the company’s strategy and vision.
Moreover, the training program also features a showcase of innovative and creative cases, where the project of the winning groups will be applied in daily operations, thus giving the trainees a lot of encouragement.
At present, around 40% of the participating Wynn executives have been promoted or entrusted with more challenging responsibilities.
Macau gaming operator, Melco Resorts, in support of local cultural exchange and social inclusivity, welcomed members of its community partners Fuhong Society of Macau Happy Art Studio and Escola Kai Chi to bespoke art workshops at City of Dreams’ “Crowning Journey of Jean-Michel Basquiat” event.
Since last month, around 60 community members including families with special needs children were invited to experience urban art culture and discover the life and works of the legendary artist.
Melco provided tours for local community members to immerse themselves in the event’s various installation works, and to experience the wonderful artistic journey in the creative world of Basquiat.
Inspired by the event and the specially organized artistic exchange with local Macau artist MCZ_Thomas, the participants painted their unique designs onto ceramic plates. Having enjoyed the creative process, the children shared their creative ideas and proudly took home their works as commemorative pieces.
Macau artist MCZ_Thomas
The debut of the “Crowning Journey of Jean-Michel Basquiat” event is co-organized by Melco’s City of Dreams and Artelli – The Pioneering Multi-dimensional Art Space and supported by the Macao Government Tourism Office and Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government.
Zitro, a top player in the gaming sector, has entered into a partnership with Grupo OSGA, a business group dedicated to enhancing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Grupo OSGA offers job opportunities to people with disabilities and supports their professional development in inclusive and accessible environments.
Through this alliance, Grupo OSGA will provide Zitro with a parcel and documentation service between its offices, optimizing Zitro’s operational efficiency and strengthening its social commitment to creating a more inclusive work environment.
Albert Zorrilla, Managing Director of Zitro for Spain said: “At Zitro, we firmly believe in the power of diversity as a driver of growth and development. This collaboration with Grupo OSGA not only enriches our company but also reinforces our commitment to contributing to a fairer and more inclusive society.”
Oscar Galilea, President of Grupo Osga added: “The collaboration with a prestigious international company like Zitro not only constitutes recognition of the work that Grupo OSGA has been carrying out but also contributes to the generation of real opportunities for people with disabilities to achieve effective and stable integration in the labor market.”
Greentube, the NOVOMATIC Digital Gaming and Entertainment division, has signed its latest partnership agreement in the US with Hard Rock Digital and will launch its award-winning content portfolio on the highly-rated Hard Rock Bet casino platform in New Jersey.
Hard Rock Bet’s online casino players in the Garden State will soon be able to enjoy a wide variety of fan-favorite titles from Greentube, including Diamond Cash™: Almighty Kraken, Piggy Prizes: Wand of Riches and Wild Lines: American Eagle™.
North America remains a region of key strategic importance for the provider, where the latest integration follows from a series of successful operator partnerships on the continent.
The launch with Hard Rock Bet will see Greentube amplify its US exposure and reach a growing new audience in New Jersey, thanks to the operator’s globally recognizable brand and popularity. Greentube and Hard Rock Bet look forward to launching gaming content together in additional states and markets in the future.
Markus Antl, Director of Global Sales and Key Account Management at Greentube, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with Hard Rock Digital, a brand that is famous and recognizable to people everywhere. The partnership in New Jersey is a long-awaited one for us and we look forward to introducing our content to even more players in the state.”
Grant Williams, SVP of Casino at Hard Rock Digital, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Greentube to Hard Rock Bet, and continue to add to the over 2,200 gaming experiences found on our top-rated platform. With one of the largest selections of games in the market, engaging promotions like our just-completed Slots Championship, and our integrated rewards, Greentube’s premium content is yet another reason to Roll With Hard Rock Bet.”
Good morning. Depending on who you’re talking to, Artificial Intelligence (AI) may seem like the best thing that’s been invented. In the world of iGaming, this means translating the loads of data flooding in to devise operable estimations for operators, says Blask’s CEO. Not an easy task. Meanwhile, Macau has high hopes for 2025, tipping GGR estimates at $29.7 billion, above some analysts’ expectations. And in the Philippines, GGR hit another record in 3Q24, at $1.6 billion, with strong growth in the eGames segment.
AI’s benefit to iGaming operators lies in transforming strategic data
Artificial Intelligence has become the key phrase in most recent iGaming conversations. But the CEO of Blask points out how AI is actually driving growth for operators, by focusing on strategically evaluating loads of data they now accumulate. Predictive analytics are helping improve both operations and player retention, improving engagement and lowering costs.
Asia is the most populated continent on the planet and Football is the No. 1 sport in most countries. The World Cup qualifying matches are traditionally watched by billions of fans in the region, but FIFA has decided to reward Asia with a significant representation at the tournament only now.
Altenar, a leading sportsbook provider is bringing its global expertise to Asia, looking to expand its operations. Since 2011, Altenar has powered hundreds of online sports betting sites worldwide and is a major B2B provider in Europe and Latin America licensed markets.
Everi stockholders have approved the $6.3 billion acquisition of the company, along with the Gaming & Digital business of International Game Technology (IGT) by a fund managed by Apollo Global Management via a merger.
The group announced the approval on Thursday, noting that ‘shareholders have voted at a special meeting’.
According to the release, ‘approximately 99.88 percent of the shares voted were voted in favor of the merger’. This represents approximately 71.48 percent of the total outstanding shares of Everi common stock (as of October 3rd, the date of the special meeting).
Michael Rumbolz, Chairman Board of Directors
“We are pleased that our stockholders supported our transaction with the Apollo Funds,” said Michael Rumbolz, chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors. “We now shift our focus to the important next steps toward completing the transaction and maximizing value for Everi stockholders.”
The proposed transaction is expected to close by the end of the third quarter of 2025.
More information will be revealed via a form filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Everi stockholders will receive $14.25 per share in cash, representing a significant 56 percent premium over Everi’s closing share price on July 25, 2024. Meanwhile, IGT will receive $4.05 billion in gross cash proceeds from the sale of IGT Gaming.
After the transaction closes, IGT will transition to a pure-play lottery business, changing its name and stock ticker symbol.
The combined IGT Gaming and Everi enterprise will be headquartered in Las Vegas and led by a management team that includes Fabio Celadon as CFO and Mark Labay as Chief Integration Officer.
The operator of Newport World Resorts, Travellers, under the Alliance Global Group, has reported a fall in gaming revenues of 6.3 percent for the first nine months of the year, totaling PHP24.31 billion ($412.67 million).
Minus the promotional allowance, which fell by 10.4 percent to PHP6.8 billion, total net gaming revenues amounted to PHP17.49 billion ($296.59 million), a yearly drop of 4.5 percent.
The group attributed the contraction as ‘due to lower win rates in an overall volume growth’.
During the same period, non-gaming results for Newport World Resorts were on the rise, with occupancy of the five hotels on the property between 77 percent and 88 percent, helping push up its non-gaming core revenues by 9 percent yearly to PHP5.4 billion ($91.67 million.
A further breakdown of the specifics is expected on Tuesday after a delay in the investor briefing was announced.
Travellers brought in a total of PHP22.9 billion ($388.67 million) in core revenues, ‘supported by the rise in tourism and MICE activities despite lower net gaming revenues’.
However, net profit for Travellers fell by 69.1 percent yearly during the nine-month period, totaling just PHP155 million ($2.63 million).
Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, has announced its latest US operator partnership with Resorts Digital Gaming in New Jersey.
Boyd Interactive acquired Resorts Digital Gaming in September 2024, and this announcement sees the group’s players on the www.resortscasino.com and www.mohegansuncasino.com brands in New Jersey gain access to a multitude of classic Play’n GO game titles, such as the legendary Book of Dead, Rise of Merlin, and Rise of Olympus.
Play’n GO entered New Jersey in September 2022, shortly after first launching in the US via the state of West Virginia in July of that year. It has since seen its games live in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and most recently, Connecticut.
Magnus Olsson, Chief Commercial Officer at Play’n GO, commented “New Jersey has been of crucial importance to our US operations for over two years now, so it is with great pleasure that we make this announcement in conjunction with Resorts Digital Gaming. The company joins two instantly recognizable operator brands, and the addition of Play’n GO’s games will be of enormous mutual benefit. We confidently describe ourselves as the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, and partnerships like this one are of great importance to us in establishing that idea. We’re excited to see this partnership flourish.”
Jim Ryan, Chief Executive Officer at Boyd Interactive, added “The whole Resorts Digital Gaming team is excited to bring Play’n GO games to our players. Play’n GO is one of the world’s leading iGaming brands, and we’re confident that our players are as excited as we are to see those Play’n GO titles on both www.resortscasino.com and www.mohegansuncasino.com.”
Evolution, the industry-leading B2B solution provider for casino operators, has announced a three-year extension of their US agreement with FanDuel Casino.
The renewal strengthens the strategic partnership between the two companies, reaffirming Evolution as FanDuel’s sole provider of core live dealer casino games.
Under the terms of the extension, FanDuel players will continue to have access to Evolution and Ezugi’s full portfolio of industry-leading live casino games, along with top-performing slots from NetEnt, Red Tiger, Big Time Gaming, and Nolimit City. This marks the second extension of the original partnership, which began in 2020 when Evolution’s live dealer games were integrated into FanDuel’s Casino platform.
Jacob Claesson, Chief Executive Officer of Evolution North America, said: “We are thrilled to extend our successful partnership with FanDuel, providing players with the very best in online casino entertainment. FanDuel’s trust in Evolution highlights our shared commitment to growing the live casino market and creating a truly immersive experience for players across North America.”
Asaf Noifeld, Managing Director of FanDuel Casino added: “FanDuel Casino is the leading Casino operator in the U.S., offering the largest selection of exclusive live casino tables in the market. Expanding our partnership with Evolution for Live Casino and RNG games enables us to consistently provide a top-tier experience to our customers. We look forward to our continued growth in the Live Casino sector.”
